Apparatus for manipulating an oxygen injection lance

ABSTRACT

Hoisting mechanism for an oxygen lance includes a counterweighted lance carriage driven by a hoist system made up of a motor driven traction drum, guide sheaves and cables. The weight of the counterweight offsets the weight of the carriage, lance, hose complex attached to the lance, and skull build-up on the lance. In normal operation, the counterweight is elevated as carriage is lowered by the hoist system to insert the lance into an oxygen converter and conversely the counterweight is lowered when the carriage is raised by the hoist system to withdraw the lance from the converter. In the event there is a power failure which impairs operation of the hoist system, the counterweight descends by gravity causing the carriage and lance to travel upwardly upon freeing the traction drum from restraint normally applied during the blowing operation of the converter.

United States Patent Schurr, II 1 June 27, 1972 s41 APPARATUS FOR MANIPULATING AN FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS XY EN NJEC I LANCE 1,402,420 7/1964 France ..266/34 LM 1,301,539 9/1961 France ..266/34 LM [72] Inventor: Barry W. Schurr, [1, Moon Township, Al-

l h C P Primary Examiner-Gerald A. Dost Attorney-Donald S. Ferito [73] Assignee. United States Steel Corporation 57] ABSTRACT Filedl J y 1970 Hoisting mechanism for an oxygen lance includes a counterweighted lance carriage driven by a hoist system made up of a l PP 9 motor driven traction drum, guide sheaves and cables. The weight of the counterweight offsets the weight of the carriage, 52 us. c1. ass/34 LM and f [5]] Int. Cl ..C2lc 7/00 the lance In normal operation the counterwe'gm is 581 Field of Search .......................266/34 L 34 LM- 187/94 elem as is by mist sysem the lance into an oxygen converter and conversely the counterweight is lowered when the carriage is raised by the hoist 56] References Cmd system to withdraw the lance from the converter. In the event there is a power failure which impairs operation of the hoist UNITED STATES PATENTS system, the counterweight descends by gravity causing the carriage and lance to travel upwardly upon freeing the tracl g tion drum from restraint normally applied during the blowing amae a.... 3,007,69! ll/l96l Rinesch et al. ....266/34 LM opem'on oflhe convene" 3,366,376 1/1968 Marino ..266/34 LM 3 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures PATEHTEDJUHET m2 3.672.652

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Allarney APPARATUS FOR MANIPULATING AN OXYGEN INJECTION LANCE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In oxygen steelmaking, it is typical to use a lance to force oxygen into contact with the surface of molten iron in an oxygen converter to eliminate certain chemical elements from the molten metal. The lance is usually inserted into the oxygen converter vessel through an opening in the hood which normally covers the converter pouring mouth during a blowing operation. Accurate manipulation of the oxygen lance is required to permit accurate positioning of the lance relative to the surface of the molten metal in the vessel.

The present invention relates to oxygen injection apparatus for steelmaking converters and more particularly to apparatus for manipulating a lance through which oxygen is supplied to a converter.

Power-driven hoisting means have been commonly used for manipulating an oxygen lance to properly position it in a converter for a blowing operation. Prior to my invention, a serious disadvantage inherent in such types of lance manipulating apparatuses was the inability to withdraw the lance if the power means driving the hoisting mechanism failed at any time.

It is, accordingly, the primary object of the present invention to provide improved hoisting apparatus for manipulating an oxygen jet lance whereby the lance can be easily withdrawn from a steelmaking vessel even though the power means driving the hoist mechanism fails.

it is a more specific object of my invention to provide a counterweighted lance manipulating power-driven hoisting mechanism whereby the counterweight is arranged in connection with the lance carriage in such a manner that it will cause the lance-carrying carriage to travel upwardly withdrawing the lance from the vessel should the power means fail.

These and other objects will become more apparent after referring to the following specification and attached drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view taken substantially along the line ll-Il ofFlG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view taken substantially along the line lll-Ill of FIG. 1',

FIG. 4 is an enlarged plan view taken substantially along the line lV-IV ofFlG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing the cable, traction drum and sheave hoisting arrangement of the invention; and

FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing a modified cable, traction drum and sheave hoisting arrangement.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, reference numeral 2 designates an upstanding mast mounted for arcuate pivotal movement about an upstanding column 4. A carriage 6 is mounted for vertical reciprocal movement along the mast 2. An oxygen lance 8 is suspended from the carriage 6 and is detachably connected therewith by means of lance clamps 10. The mast 2 may be pivoted arcuately about the column 4 by means of a slew drive 5 to move the lance laterally and arcuately from an operating position suspended over a converter to a park position remote from the converter. A hose complex 12 is connected to the upper portion of the lance 8 for the purpose of conducting oxygen and cooling water thereto in the conventional manner.

An upstanding guide frame 14 is attached to the mast 2 extending substantially parallel therewith and spaced laterally therefrom on the side thereof opposite the carriage 6. A counterweight 16 is mounted for vertical reciprocable movement within the guide frame 14.

A hoisting mechanism, indicated generally by reference numeral 18, is mounted on the top of the guide frame l4 and includes a drive motor 20 having a power shaft 22 extending therefrom connected with a speed reducer 24. A brake 26 is disengageably connected with the shaft 22. A traction drum 28 is connected with and driven by the output shaft 30 of the speed reducer 24.

The counterweight 16 is connected with the hoisting mechanism and the carriage 6 by a double cable and sheave arrangement. In each of the arrangements, which are identical, a cable 32 extends from a dead-end connection on the mast 2, as at 34. The cable 32 extends from the dead-end connection 34 tangentially around a sheave 36 which, in turn, is rotatably mounted on the carriage 6. From thence, the cable extends tangentially over two sheaves 38 rotatably mounted on the upper end of the mast 2. The cable then extends around the traction drum 28 from where it extends to and passes tangentially around a sheave 40 mounted on the upper end of the counterweight 16. The cable then travels upwardly to pass tangentially around a sheave 42 which is rotatably mounted in the upper end of the guide frame 14. From the sheave 42 the cable descends and passes tangentially around a second sheave 44 on the upper end of the counterweight and thence to a dead-end connection 46 on the upper end of the guide frame 14.

The number of cables and the number and sizes of sheaves may be varied in accordance with the amount of hoisting force required in a desired arrangement.

A shock absorber 48, which may be in the form of two coil springs or a hydraulic cylinder or cylinders, is disposed on the bottom of the guide frame in the pathway of and below the counterweight 16.

In operation, the lance 8 is lowered into position within a converter by actuating the motor 20 as as to drive the carriage 6 downwardly until the bottom end of the lance is positioned as desired in relation to the upper surface of the molten metal in the converter. The motor 20 is then stopped and simultaneously the brake is applied to the shaft 22 so that the lance will be held firmly in the desired position. As the carriage 6 is being lowered by the hoisting mechanism, the counterweight 16 is elevated within the guide frame H a distance proportional to the distance the carriage has been lowered. This is effected by the cable and sheave arrangement described above which connects the counterweight with the hoisting mechanism and the carriage.

In the event there is a power failure and motor 20 fails to function when it is desired to withdraw the lance from the converter, the brake 26 is disengaged from the shaft 22. Then, since the counterweight offsets the weight of the carriage, the lance and the hosing complex on the lance, the counterweight will descend by gravity to the bottom of the guide frame 14 and in doing so will pull the carriage upwardly along the mast 2 withdrawing the lance from the converter.

FIG. 6 schematically shows a modified cable, traction drum and sheave arrangement that can be used to connect the counterweight with the hoisting mechanism and the carriage.

Although I have shown but one embodiment of my invention, other adaptations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for manipulating a fluid jet lance utilized for introducing a high velocity jet of fluid into a furnace which comprises an upstanding mast, a carriage mounted for vertical movement along said mast, a hoisting drive on said mast connected with said carriage for moving the same along said mast, power means for driving said hoisting drive, said hoisting drive including a reversible motor having a drive shaft, a speed reducer connected with said drive shaft, a disengageable brake on said drive shaft effective to stop rotation thereof, a drum pulley connected with and driven by said speed reducer, said fluid jet lance being suspended from said carriage for movement therewith in a vertical plane, an upstanding guide frame fixedly mounted on said mast substantially parallel therewith opposite said carriage, a counterweight disposed for vertical movement in said guide frame, a first sheave rotatably mounted on said carriage, a second and third sheave each rotatably mounted on the upper end of said mast, a fourth sheave rotatably mounted on said counterweight, a fifth sheave rotatably mounted on the upper end of said frame guide, a sixth sheave rotatably mounted on said counterweight, and means connecting said counterweight with said hoisting drive and carriage whereby said counterweight rises in said guide when said carriage is driven downwardly by said hoisting drive and said counterweight descends by gravity in said guide frame to raise said carriage and lance when said power means is inoperative, said means connecting said counterweight with said carriage including a cable dead-ended at one end on said mast and extending therefrom around said first sheave, over said second and third sheaves, around said drum pulley, around said fourth sheave, around said fifth sheave, around said sixth sheave and thence to a dead-end connection in the upper end of said guide frame.

1. Apparatus for manipulating a fluid jet lance utilized for introducing a high velocity jet of fluid into a furnace which comprises an upstanding mast, a carriage mounted for vertical movement along said mast, a hoisting drive on said mast connected with said carriage for moving the same along said mast, power means for driving said hoisting drive, said fluid jet lance being suspended from said carriage for movement therewith in a vertical plane, an upstanding guide frame fixedly mounted on said mast substantially parallel therewith opposite said carriage, a counterweight disposed for vertical movement in said guide frame, means connecting said counterweight with said hoisting drive and carriage whereby said counterweight rises in said guide when said carriage is driven downwardly by said hoisting drive and said counterweight descends by gravity in said guide frame to raise said carriage and lance when said power means is inoperative, said means connecting said counterweight with said hoisting drive and said carriage comprising a cable having dead-end connections with the mast and said guide frame, sheave means rotatably mounted on said carriage, on said mast, on said counterweight and in said frame guide, said cable being trained over said sheaves, respectively, and said hoisting drive including a drum pulley having driving engagement with said cable.

3. Apparatus as defined by claim 2 in which said power means and said driving connection comprise a reversible motor having a drive shaft connected with a speed reducer, and a disengageable brake in engagement with said drive shaft effective to stop rotation thereof. 

1. Apparatus for manipulating a fluid jet lance utilized for introducing a high velocity jet of fluid into a furnace which comprises an upstanding mast, a carriage mounted for vertical movement along said mast, a hoisting drive on said mast connected with said carriage for moving the same along said mast, power means for driving said hoisting drive, said hoisting drive including a reversible motor having a drive shaft, a speed reducer connected with said drive shaft, a disengageable brake on said drive shaft effective to stop rotation thereof, a drum pulley connected with and driven by said speed reducer, said fluid jet lance being suspended from said carriage for movement therewith in a vertical plane, an upstanding guide frame fixedly mounted on said mast substantially parallel therewith opposite said carriage, a counterweight disposed for vertical movement in said guide frame, a first sheave rotatably mounted on said carriage, a second and third sheave each rotatably mounted on the upper end of said mast, a fourth sheave rotatably mounted on said counterweight, a fifth sheave rotatably mounted on the upper end of said frame guide, a sixth sheave rotatably mounted on said counterweight, and means connecting said counterweight with said hoisting drive and carriage whereby said counterweight rises in said guide when said carriage is driven downwardly by said hoisting drive and said counterweight descends by gravity in said guide frame to raise said carriage and lance when said power means is inoperative, said means connecting said counterweight with said carriage including a cable dead-ended at one end on said mast and extending therefrom around said first sheave, over said second and third sheaves, around said drum pulley, around said fourth sheave, around said fifth sheave, around said sixth sheave and thence to a dead-end connection in the upper end of said guide frame.
 2. Apparatus for manipulating a fluid jet lance utilized for introducing a high velocity jet of fluid into a furnace which comprises an upstanding mast, a carriage mounted for vertical movement along said mast, a hoisting drive on said mast connected with said carriage for moving the same along said mast, power means for driving said hoisting drive, said fluid jet lance being suspended from said carriage for movement therewith in a vertical plane, an upstanding guide frame fixedly mounted on said mast substantially parallel therewith opposite said carriage, a counterweight disposed for vertical movement in said guide frame, means connecting said counterweight with said hoisting drive and carriage whereby said counterweight rises in said guide when said carriage is driven downwardly by said hoisting drive and said counterweight descends by gravity in said guide frame to raise said carriage and lance when said power means is inoperative, said means connecting said counterweight with said hoisting drive and said carriage comprising a cable having dead-end connections with the mast and said guide frame, sheave means rotatably mounted on said carriage, on said mast, on said counterweight and in said frame guide, said cable being trained over said sheaves, respectively, and said hoisting drive including a drum pulley having driving engagement with said cable.
 3. Apparatus as defined by claim 2 in which said power means and said driving connection comprise a reversible motor having a drive shaft connected with a speed reducer, and a disengageable brake in engagement with said drive shaft effective to stop rotation thereof. 